Wednesday, October 31, 2012

You might think that the number one question? people ask me is ?so how can I start a business and spend time with my baby??

Actually, I?m mostly asked questions about internet marketing, blogging and creating information products! So here are some quick tips that will answer your most pressing questions.

I?ll be talking more about all of these in my new Thursday Night Webinar series ? click here and I?ll tell you all about it.

Question 1: How can I get my website to the top of page 1 of Google?

First, you need to know what your potential customers are typing in to Google. There?s no point in being number 1 in Google for a keyword that your customers would never use!

Start by thinking about what your customers would type into Google if they needed your products or services, then look up those keywords using the Google Keyword Tool to see what people are actually typing. And how many people are using those words. Also look at how competitive those keywords are and what you see when you type those keywords into Google yourself.

If your keywords are very competitive ? ie being targeted by many other businesses ? then you can use longer, less competitive keyphrases instead.

For example, I knew that people who may want to read Business Plus Baby would need a business bank account and may be searching for info about this. There was no point in trying get on page 1 of Google for ?small business bank account? because there was WAY to much competition, so instead I thought about the question my readers would type into Google. I wrote a post around ?do I need a business bank account?? instead and I?m currently at the number 2 spot on Google for that phrase.

?I?m currently at the number 2 spot on Google for that phrase

Then use those keywords or keyphrases in the body of your blog posts, the titles of your blog posts, web page titles, categories and tags (if you have them). Don?t stuff in as many keywords as you can, just use them in a natural way.

Of course this only scratches the surface of SEO, but it?s a good place to start. If you?d like to know some more, take a look at my SEO Crash Course webinar which is happening on 15th November.

Question 2: How can I start using a blog to promote my business?

If you already have a website, see if you can add a blog to it. This could mean speaking to your web designer, or if you use a website builder then you might need to upgrade your package to include a blog. If you don?t have a website at all, consider starting a self-hosted WordPress blog and then adding a static homepage (that will give you a blog which has content you update regularly, but with a ?normal? non-updating page for your homepage, plus any other pages you may like to add.)

That way you have all the benefits of a blog and a website in one, and you can update it whenever you want, too. A web designer can set this up for you if you don?t feel confident doing it yourself.

Then think about the top questions that your clients ask you and create blog posts offering tips and advice. There?s no need to give ALL the details or they may not call you! The blog post could be text, video, audio, pictures or a combination. Try to include some of your keywords and keyphrases in your posts, but make sure this sounds natural.

There?s no need to give ALL the details or they may not call you!

Promote your blog and posts wherever you can ? on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms that your audience read. Also offline on your business cards, flyers, when doing presentations or appearing in trade publications.

Try to publish posts regularly, but it certainly doesn?t have to be several times a week. Several times a month will still bring you benefits.

If you?d like to know some more, take a look at my Blogging for Business Crash Course webinar which is happening on 22nd November

Question 3: How can I get my first e-book written and sold?

E-books are the best way of getting started as an information product creator. But your first one can be tricky because you need to a) sit down regularly and get that book written when your life will keep getting in your way and b) you could find yourself writing a book that nobody wants to buy unless you do some research first.

If you?re writing for pleasure then you can write on the subject of your choice, but if you?re writing to sell then you need to write a book that people want to buy. So look at the subjects areas where you have some knowledge, then do your research.

you could find yourself writing a book that nobody wants to buy unless you do some research first.

Check on Amazon to see if there are already books on this subject ? if there are then that?s a good sign there is a market. Then think about how you could put a different and interesting twist on what is already selling. Solving a problem faced by your readers is a good angle to take, for example a ?How to??-style book.? Or you could combine two popular subjects together e.g. fast recipes on a tight budget (cooking and saving time).

If you already have a community such as a group of clients or? your blog?s readers, then think about the questions they ask you the most and think about writing your book to answer one of those. Or look at your most popular blog posts. Gather your information from people?s needs and wants rather than just coming up with ideas on your own.

When it comes to writing your book, it helps to have a goal in mind of how much you?re going to write each week. How much you write per week is up to you, but if you have a goal it?s much more likely to get completed! You could aim for 2000 words each week, a chapter or if you?re writing a ?100 tips?-style book you could aim for 10 tips per week.

You?ll also need to think about how to sell and promote your book. Will you publish on Kindle? Or create a PDF and sell it from your own website? Or both? A blog is a great way to promote your book, by the way!

If you?d like to know more, take a look at my Write Your First e-Book webinar which is happening on 29th November

Question 4: I?ve just got a brand new website. What should I put on it?

First, start with the purpose of your website. What do you want it to do? What do you want visitors to do when they get there? Who are your visitors?

E.g. ?My visitors will be pregnant women looking for antenatal classes in Bedford. I want them to read my website then call me to book a place on of my classes?.

Then you need to design your homepage so that it encourages your visitors to take that action. In our example, that would be to pick up the phone and book a place.

You can use many different elements to do this. The graphics, logo, colour scheme and text will need to appeal to your visitors and project the right image. For our antenatal teacher, that could image should be reassuring, friendly and welcoming and at the same time professional. It could include photos of happy mums and babies or even a video of one of your classes.

This approach is far better than the ?I?ve got five webpages to fill, what shall I put on them?? one that businesses often use

Make sure that you have a call-to-action too. E.g. ?Call us now on 01234 123456 to book your place?. It sounds obvious, but people really do need clear instructions on websites!

This approach is far better than ?I?ve got five webpages to fill, what shall I put on them??

After that you can add other elements such as a contact page, blog and mailing list. But always keep your website?s purpose in mind.

If you?d like to know more, take a look at my What To Put On Your Website webinar which is happening on 6th December

If you have another burning question, please leave me a comment and I?ll do my best to answer it

To find out more about my Thursday Night Webinars, click here. They are just ?10 each for a seat and if you grab a seat at all four I?ll give you access to a closed Facebook group where you can ask questions and get feedback until the end of December.

Our friends at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) wanted us to let you know that whether you rent or own your own home, own your own business, or own a small agricultural cooperative located in a declared disaster area, and are the victim of a disaster, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the U. S. Small Business Administration.

U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Karen G. Mills issued the following statement after the announcement of the Presidential disaster declaration for several counties in Connecticut affected by Hurricane Sandy that began Oct. 27, 2012: ?The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the people of? Connecticut with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist homeowners, renters, and businesses with federal disaster loans. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.?

The disaster declaration covers the counties of Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Mohegan Tribal Nation located within New London in Connecticut, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.? Small businesses and most private non-profit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Hartford, Litchfield, Tolland, and Windham in Connecticut; Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester in New York; Kent and Washington in Rhode Island.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate.? Homeowners and renters are eligible up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed personal property.

Businesses and private non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.? The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.? Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 1.688 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years.? Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant?s financial condition. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA?s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by mobile device at m.fema.gov. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362. Additional details on the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.? The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is December 31, 2012. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 31, 2013.

How did your small business hold-up during Hurrican/Big Storm Sandy?? Let us know in the comment section below.

Millions of years ago fire and water forged the gypsum rocks locked in at Cuatro Ci?negas, a Mexican valley similar to the Martian crater where NASA's Rover Curiosity roams. A team of researchers have now analysed the bacterial communities that have survived in these inhospitable springs since the beginning of life on Earth.

"Cuatro Ci?negas is extraordinarily similar to Mars. As well as the Gale crater where Curiosity is currently located on its exploration of the red planet, this landscape is the home to gypsum formed by fire beneath the seabed," as explained to SINC by Valeria Souza, evolutionary ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

The researcher states that sulphur components from magma and minerals from the sea (carbonates and molecules with magnesium) are required to form gypsum. In the case of the Cuatro Ci?negas Basin, the magma under the seabed was very active. In fact, it allowed for the continent displacement during the Jurassic Period: "Here was where the supercontinent Pangea opened up some 200 million years ago, pushing the hemisphere north from the equator where it is now."

In the case of Mars, the scientists have not been able to confirm tectonic movement in its crust at any point, but they believe that a large meteorite crashed into its primitive sea. The fact that probing has detected gypsum in the Gale crater indicates that mineral-rich water was present and that sulphur was able to form due to the impact of the meteorite causing the crater.

It is no easy task to find a place on Earth similar to this Martian environment, except in Cuatro Ci?negas. For this reason astrobiologists toil in their work to understand how its bacterial communities work. "This oasis in the middle of the Chihuahua desert is a time machine for organisms that, together as a community, have transformed our blue planet yet have survived all extinctions. How they have managed to do this can be revealed by their genes," says Souza.

The team have analysed the 'metagenomes', the genome of the different bacterial communities that proliferate in these marshes by adapting parallel strategies to overcome survival challenges in a place with so little nutrients.

Green, red and blue springs

The results published in the journal 'Astrobiology' journal reflect the existence of two communities in different pits for example. One is 'green' and is formed by cyanobacteria and proteobacteria that have adapted to the lack of nitrogen. Another is 'red' and is made of Pseudomonas and other micro-organisms that live without hardly any phosphorous. There are also blue springs which are generally deeper and lacking in nutrients.

"Understanding the usage and exploitation strategies of phosphorous is necessary in understanding what could happen in extreme scenarios like on other planets where there is a possibly serious limitation to this and other nutrients," explains Luis David Alcaraz, Mexican researcher participating in the study from the Higher Public Health Research centre of Valencia, Spain.

This project has enjoyed the support of Mexico's Carlos Slim Foundation and the Technological Innovation Research Project Support Programme of UNAM. It has also received the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the USA and NASA, which has been studying Cuatro Ci?negas for more than a decade.

The Cuatroci?negas Flora and Fauna Protection Area is a protected area but the scientists and conservation groups are worried that its water is being over exhausted. "The bacterial communities have survived all types of cataclysms here such as the extinction of the dinosaurs or the majority of marine creatures. But, the only thing they are not adapted for is the lack of water," warns Souza.

Thanks to FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

In spite of tight credit for buyers, record foreclosures and falling values, a real estate home is still a dream for most of the Americans. Many aspire for the dream home. According to several recent studies it has been seen that the real estate and the green building is set to experience boom in the coming five years and beyond. By a study it is seen 72% of the owners see their house being made in the near future. But unlike the earlier years when the dream was just a huge mansion, the current dreams are that of a green, energy efficient house made of sustainable material. And in some cases, a renovated house with eco friendly home products and energy efficient appliances are the requirements. There is an increased consensus and the concept of dream home has evolved in the past five years.

Many environment conscious home owners seek to purchase energy efficient appliances and lower the carbon footprint. They also add in solar panels to offset the energy costs. For 50% green equipments are all time favourites according to Home Horizons 2012 study. Also 27% state that energy efficient house is the reason that they wish to buy a new house. Now people pursue small, environment friendly and energy efficient homes.

Though the green homes are preferred and produce smaller carbon impact, they have acquired the reputation of being expensive. However, there is a class of people who are willing to pay a little extra for green real estates. Later these places convert into higher sales prices depending on the local market. There are also some green certified real estate agents or realtors who help in locating for energy efficient green homes. Hence the green estate is up for grabs.

2012 claims to be the year of green homes, energy efficient appliances and low carbon impact home building materials.

Also in the commercial sector adoption of green building materials, high vacancy rate and government incentives are motivating a strong growth in the country with reference to building value and efficiency.

In 2009, USGBC (the United States Green Building Council) had undertaken a study which had projected the green construction to contribute around $554 billion to the economy. It was also seen in that study, that green buildings are helping saving the owners money. The estimation study between the years, 2000 to 2008 showed that green construction and renovation helped in $1.3 billion energy savings. Forecasts suggest the savings to rise to $6 billion between 2009 and 2013.

Commercial space owners adopt green retro fits because the high performance green building space experiences lower vacancy rate and higher premium as compared to the traditional spaces. This has been confirmed by the report on Energy Efficiency Retrofits for Commercial and Public Buildings. This market driver has proved to be steady till commercial buildings have been retro fitted, unlike other government policies which come and go often and on. In terms of green real estate investment it implies greater opportunities.

Not only in terms of energy savings green real estate have benefits otherwise also and thus is up for grabs. Tenants staying in such green buildings have been seen to be more productive compared to counterparts staying in traditional places. They also experienced lesser sick days. According to study, green real estate spaces were given higher rental, as high as 13 percent more than regular and lower vacancy rates, i.e. around 4% less than average. Green real estates? are beneficial for owners as well as tenants seeking for lower costs and higher productivity.

Rob Watson is the pioneer of green building and architect Anne Johnson stated that green buildings are the thing of tomorrow and in the near future, LEED certification cycle; existing buildings will overtake new construction when investors and owners realize the advantages of green spaces.

The corporate America has already taken steps towards the green real estate. Goldman Sachs, IBM Corp, JP Morgan Chase and Toyota Motor have made the move to green buildings. The corporate world is really caring. Many construction companies have also taken up building and renovating buildings according to the green standards. According to Tata McGraw Hill report, such places bring around 3% higher rents and 7.5% increase in the building?s value. The fastest growing area in the already growing commercial building industry is the use of sustainable construction. Around 5% new US commercial construction received the U.S. Green Building Council?s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification in the past few years. The increase in energy efficient appliances, green standards makes the country move in an environment friendly direction.

To take advantageous decisions, strategic policies should be formed. Though, the green trend is in its infancy stage but that is bound to change in the near future. This green real estate boom is really up for seizing.

The post is written by Jason Phillips. He is a freelance writer and guest blogger. He is a Philadelphia resident with a passion for good food, good music and filtered water. His writes on topics varies from technology, beauty, green and smsf property investment. Photo by?Diana Parkhouse

President Barack Obama speaks in the White House Briefing Room in Washington, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, after returning to the White House from a campaign stop in Florida to monitor Hurricane Sandy. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama speaks in the White House Briefing Room in Washington, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, after returning to the White House from a campaign stop in Florida to monitor Hurricane Sandy. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama pauses in the White House Briefing Room in Washington, on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, where he spoke after returning to the White House from a campaign stop in Florida to monitor Hurricane Sandy. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

After canceling his appearance at a morning campaign rally in Orlando, Fla., President Barack Obama walks into the White House in a driving rain after returning to Washington to monitor preparations for early response to Hurricane Sandy, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

President Barack Obama speaks in the White House Briefing Room in Washington, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, after returning to the White House from a campaign stop in Florida to monitor Hurricane Sandy. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

After canceling his appearance at a morning campaign rally in Orlando, Fla., President Barack Obama walks toward the White House in a driving rain after returning to Washington to monitor preparations for early response to Hurricane Sandy, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama the candidate stepped aside Monday so the commander in chief could take over.

In the waning days of his re-election bid, the president scrapped two days of campaigning and retreated from the trail. He hunkered down at the White House to oversee the government's response to the East Coast superstorm ? and to project presidential leadership.

"The election will take care of itself next week," Obama said, speaking to reporters at the White House after hastily flying back to Washington from Florida, one of the handful of states the two campaigns are contesting the hardest.

Obama aides insisted that was not only the right decision, but also an easy one. Even with Obama locked in a tight race with Republican Mitt Romney, the president would have risked appearing to put politics over the public's safety had he pressed on with his travel plans. And that could have been enough to turn off some still-persuadable voters at a critical juncture in the campaign.

Now Obama has the opportunity ? and the responsibility ? to show the type of command in a crisis that only the president can offer. While Romney can make symbolic gestures, like canceling his own campaign events Monday and Tuesday, he doesn't have the power to provide tangible assistance.

"The president has real responsibilities and those responsibilities come first," said David Axelrod, the president's chief campaign strategist.

Of course, Obama's response to the storm still had plenty to do with politics. And he used both his words and his actions to sharpen the contrast between a candidate running for president and a candidate who already is president.

After returning to the White House Monday morning, Obama walked through the rain straight into the Oval Office. He convened a meeting with top government officials in the Situation Room. And later, standing behind a podium bearing the presidential seal, he appealed to politically divided Americans to put their differences aside during the storm.

"We look out for our friends, we look out for our neighbors and we set aside whatever issues we may have otherwise to make sure that we respond appropriately and with swiftness and that's exactly what I anticipate is going to happen here," he said.

Much of what Obama planned to do this week at the White House ? hold briefings, authorize federal funding and stay in touch with officials in states affected by the storm ? could have easily been done from the road. The White House sets up secure Internet and phone connections wherever he travels and many of his briefings, even when he's in Washington, are done over the phone or video conference.

Some aides mentioned that to the president as they contemplated how they would balance Obama's robust campaign travel schedule with the impending storm. But those discussions didn't last long. Obama told advisers he needed to be at the White House.

"This is one of the circumstances where in his view it makes the most sense for him to be in place in the White House," press secretary Jay Carney said on Air Force One's bumpy flight straight into the storm.

Obama's team had planned to kick off the final full week of campaigning with a trio of joint rallies with former President Bill Clinton. The two presidents were supposed to spend Monday dashing from Florida to Ohio to Virginia rallying Democratic supporters and trying to sway the small swath of undecided voters.

Even as it became clear the storm might disrupt some of those plans, the president did everything he could to squeeze in just a little more time on the campaign trail.

Obama moved up a flight to Orlando, Fla., where his first event with Clinton was scheduled, from Monday morning to Sunday night in order to get ahead of the storm.

But even before Air Force One departed Washington, the Virginia event was canceled. By the time the president's plane landed in Florida, aides scraped the second stop in Ohio and planned for the president to get back to Washington early.

The campaign made one last attempt early Monday to salvage the Florida event, weighing whether they could start early and still get back to Washington safely. But they quickly gave in to the storm, sending Clinton to the Florida event on his own and Obama back to Washington.

BEIJING (Reuters) - A total of seven Tibetans have set fire to themselves in the past week in protest against what they claim is heavy-handed Chinese rule in the Himalayan region, a human rights group said in a statement issued late on Saturday.

Cousins Tsepo, 20, and Tenzin, 25, set themselves aflame outside a government building in Driru County, north of regional capital Lhasa on Thursday, London-based group Free Tibet said.

Tsepo died on the way to hospital and Tenzin was taken away by officials, Free Tibet said. His whereabouts are unknown.

Last week saw the highest number of self-immolations since the latest wave of anti-China demonstrations began in 2011, the group said. Since March last year, nearly 60 people have set themselves on fire in protest against Beijing. At least half of them have died.

"It has taken two days for information about this latest protest to emerge," Free Tibet director Stephanie Brigden said in a statement.

"Across Tibet, the Chinese state is employing force and intimidation to quell calls for freedom and suppress information about protests."

China has branded the self-immolators "terrorists" and criminals, and has blamed the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama, for inciting them.

Beijing brands the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist, but he denies supporting violence and says he merely seeks greater autonomy for his homeland, which he claims is a victim of Chinese "cultural genocide".

Activists say China tramples on religious freedom and culture in Tibet, which has been ruled with an iron rod since the 1950 takeover. China rejects such criticism, saying its rule ended serfdom and brought development to a backward area.

Hurricane Sandy, the storm barreling toward the east coast of the United States, could leave at least 10 million people without power, according to a new model.

Science news from NBCNews.com

Sleuth finds the truth in ghost stories

Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: Paranormal investigator Joe Nickell has busted a lot of ghostly myths over the past 40 years ? but the spookiest part of his job comes when he actually catches a ghost red-handed.

How to eat a Triceratops in 4 easy steps

Why dinosaurs showed off their feathers

Fukushima fish still radioactive

"The most heavily impacted areas are going to be up through the mid-Atlantic, Delaware, into southeastern Maryland and southeastern Pennsylvania and into New Jersey," said Seth Guikema, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University who developed the model.

As of 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 28, the center of Hurricane Sandy was located 250 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and 575 miles (930 km) south of New York City. The storm is moving toward the northeast near 14 miles per hour (23 kilometers per hour). A turn to the north and then the northwest is expected Sunday night and early Monday. The current forecast track puts the center of Sandy near the coast Monday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.

To predict the impact of the storm the team looks at the most recently available forecasts of wind gusts and duration for 19,000 census tracts along the Eastern Seaboard, Guikema told LiveScience. (A census tract includes between 4,000 and 6,000 people).

The most recent run of the prediction, current as of 8 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, suggested that at least 3 million people will be without power in New Jersey, along with 2 million in Maryland, 2 million in southeastern Pennsylvania, and 370,000 in Delaware, Guikema told LiveScience. Many more people could be out of power in New York City, but the team's model can't predict the city's power outages as well.

Con-Edison, which serves 3.2 million households in New York City and Westchester County, is preparing for the possibility of extensive damage to its networks.

"Because of the high winds that may impact on the overhead and then on the underground system there's a possibility that the storm surge floods could harm our equipment," said Con-Edison spokesperson Sara Banda.

Most power companies are mobilizing their repair crews so they are ready to restore power as quickly as possible, Guikema said. "They hunker down and they wait. There are rules on how low their wind speeds are before they are allowed to go out in their buckets."

[ How to Prepare for Hurricane Sandy ]

But once the winds die down, they can be deployed quickly, he said.

The best thing residents can do is call their power company if the electricity goes out, because companies don't have a way of tracking power in each home.

"Most utilities don't know for sure until they get the call in," he said.

To prepare for a long time without electricity, people should stock up on drinking water and non-perishable food, he said. People living in areas forecasted to get high winds should bring loose furniture and other items on decks indoors, he added.

"This storm is later in the season so it's also cold," he said. "So people have to have some way of staying warm."

Saturday, October 27, 2012

This review is humorous to be for a couple reasons. ?Prior to starting this blog, I was okay with ice cream/frozen dairy dessert, but didn't particularly love it. ?It was the same way with s'mores...I liked them, but didn't particularly love them. ?After reviewing tons of products involving one or both of these things, I now LOVE them both, so when I saw another Breyers product with this Breyers S'mores Frozen Dairy Dessert on sale at Kroger, I knew I had to grab it to give it a try for a review (plus the "New" tagline roped me in too). ?The 1.5 quart container was on sale for $2.99 and each serving is 170 calories per serving. ?There's about fourteen servings per container. By now, we all now that s'mores are made up of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows, so it's no surprise that Breyers put all three of these components into the container. ?The marshmallow part of a s'more was made signified by the frozen dairy dessert portion of this container, the chocolate was represented by small little bits of chocolate spread amply throughout and the graham cracker portion was represented by a swirl of graham cracker that was spread starting from the middle of the container and looking all around. ?This graham cracker swirl was almost caramel-like, but it did have some grainy bits to signify the cracker. ?The frozen dairy dessert did smell like marshmallows and the entire container itself permeated of graham cracker smell, so in terms of presentation, it did a good job of representing its namesake.

Dipping my spoon into the container (yes, I'm a slob and I eat these straight from the container), I was expecting something that was similar to the smell in that it would taste exactly like a s'more. ?Unfortunately, that was not the case. ?It resembled a s'more somewhat, but did not exactly taste like a s'more. ?For some reason, that disappointed me greatly and I'm not sure why. ?That said, the frozen dairy dessert did do a pretty solid job of nailing the taste of marshmallow, although it is exceptionally sweet and that can wear on you after a while. ?The graham cracker swirl had a hint of graham cracker taste and its graininess made it somewhat graham cracker-like, but it really wasn't close to the real thing. ?Still, it did have a nice taste and I liked it quite a bit). ?The chocolate bits were pretty much what you'd expect in terms of taste and they added crunch, but didn't do much else. ?All in all, this was close, but no cigar when it came to representing its namesake.

Buy It or Fly By It? ?This wasn't a bad treat, but it just wasn't memorable. ?It ended up being pretty boring when it was all said and done, so I give it a FLY BY IT rating. ?Had the proportions been a little different (more chocolate and more of the delightful graham cracker swirl), I may have a different opinion on this, but based on the construction of the container that I got, I was just bored. ?If they overloaded this in a different way with a different container or changed the recipe mix altogether, I may be inclined to give it a different rating.

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stock futures are falling sharply before the government provides a peek at U.S. economic growth over the past three months.

There are also signs of unease in China, with evidence of a massive flow of money out of the country before a government power shift.

Dow Jones industrial futures are down 97 points to 12,959. The S&P futures have given up 10.5 points to 1,397.70. Nasdaq futures are down 11.5 points to 2,636.50.

The government will release a report an hour before the stock market opens Friday on the nation's gross domestic product for the third quarter. Economists expect growth but very little.

The group Global Financial Integrity, based in Washington, suggests Chinese investors evaded government controls to ship more than $600 billion out of the country last year, and that the pace is accelerating.

Ubuntu filmmaking: Adventures in Zambezia producer Stuart Forrest hopes the animated movie will prove that South Africans are capable of telling child-friendly stories with international appeal.

The South African animated movie Adventures in Zambezia was the highlight of the second Kunjanimation festival, held in Cape Town last week. Made by South African company Triggerfish, this story of a young falcon with an ubuntu message (tagline: ?No bird is an island?) has been picked up by Sony and is getting a worldwide release.

Featuring the voices of international stars Jeff Goldblum, ?Leonard Nimoy, Richard E Grant, Samuel L Jackson and Abigail Breslin, the film has already been seen in Russia, for instance, where it was a hit with 800?000 tickets sold and a gross of about $2.7?million.
It opens in South Africa on December 26.

?The best reviews have come from Germany, but the best box-office results have come from Russia and Israel,? says producer and Triggerfish chief executive Stuart Forrest. He expects ?good things? of the local release: ?I think that South African audiences will be surprised by the quality and entertainment value of the film.?

A joint initiative of Animation South Africa and the local branch of the French Institute, Kunjanimation 2012 had the support of Wesgro, the Western Cape destination marketing, investment and trade promotion agency and the National Film and Video Foundation.

This year, the festival?s main aim was to showcase South Africa?s emerging animation talent and make connections with the global industry. Screenings included compendiums of South African animated shorts, the 1973 French science fiction classic Fantastic Planet and the 2007 local claymation film Tengers.

Festival director Daniel Snaddon says that, based on the success of the 2011 festival, held in Johannesburg as a forum for industry professionals, ?this year we decided we would cast our net much wider, with film viewings for the general public and learning opportunities for students and professionals at every level ? The public support was great and shows that animation is, indeed, a much-loved art form.?

Globally competitiveKunjanimation also focused on education and skills development. There was an impressive array of workshops and presentations by leading South African animation companies such as Black Ginger, Triggerfish, Imaginari and Strika Entertainment. Master classes were offered by local experts such as writer Daniel Dercksen and international animators such as DreamWorks Animation?s Alexandre Heboyan, who recently produced his first independent feature.

Snaddon was pleased to host a preview of the much-awaited Adventures in Zambezia at the festival. Its success overseas, he says, ?has ?created an attitude among animators in the local industry that we can be globally competitive and make films that the world wants to see?.???? ?

?One thing I have come across around the world,? says Forrest, ?is how genuinely surprised audiences are that this film was made in Africa. It does not compute with their vision of a ?dark continent? with no technical skills, yet to date more than one million people have bought tickets to see the film. For those people, South Africa has been slightly reframed in their minds. We are a nation that is capable of producing upbeat, funny, heart-warming, child-friendly adventure stories.?

Triggerfish will release its second animated feature, Khumba, in December next year. ?Like Pixar, we are aiming at developing a ?studio brand. I think it?s vital that the industry has more festivals like ?Kunjanimation to get all the stakeholders together to discuss where we are heading as an industry,? says Forrest.? ?

Snaddon agrees. ?The animation industry can benefit the country economically and create employment opportunities. If the festival takes off, it can become a central point for animators from Africa, who will have the opportunity to network with animators and companies from around the world.?

Ease comes to the ailing heart, When time has passed ? no longer apart. A tender smile is drawn in thought, Then a shy reflection on the face is caught. Breathing deep in love?s kind grace; A warmth in soul holds in place A longing filled to all eternity, Felt so deep in sweet serenity.

Whispered words like breath on wind,Pass the lips between dear friends.Talking low, but hearing true,To heart this message said only for you:From all I have in great affection,I give, with care, my pure attention;A bond, a kiss, forever more;A faith, a joy, an open door.

Now hold so tight, and draw so near;Peace and comfort - made so clear.A tender touch, a true divinity;Together is found that sweet serenity.

-Dan Thomas-

Inner Mind ? Sanctuary Where Peace Resides

Posted by Dorothy M Neddermeyer on 25 October, 2012

Within your inner mind is a sanctuary where peace resides. There is a part of you that resides there. It is the busyness of your outer life that prevents you from living from your inner sanctuary.

No matter how busy your life seems on the surface in the depth and truth of your being; you can access the inner sanctuary of total peace, wisdom, compassion, forgiveness and aliveness. Your inner sanctuary is where all answers are held, all peace resides and all rest is assured.

In the depth of your sanctuary is silence. In times of confusion and complexity the silence brings relief and calmness in mind, body and spirit. When you listen to the silence in your sanctuary you come to know the wisdom of being still; connection with the depth of inner silence will guide you, heal you and restore your energy.

Silence is an omnipresent reality revealing to you your strength and courage. Silence is also revealed in moments of rapt attention, when you are fully present in your life. The art of cultivating silence takes place within the present moment of the reality of your life. Cultivating silence, prompts you to discover the richness in all moments and encounters. While treasuring its rich potential, you learn to discover what it means to live with a silent heart, rich in vitality, creativity, energy and an enlivened life.

Silence in the depths of your sanctuary is the ground of happiness, communion and oneness. You can learn to find it in all moments and things. You will discover it has been waiting for you.

You can take heart and comfort right now in knowing that all things are in alignment to work together for the good of everyone.

Go to your inner sanctuary and live from your awareness. Take your whole Self there this moment to revel in the peace, wisdom, aliveness and joy. ###

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Metaphysician - Certified Hypnosis and Regression Practitioner, Author and Speaker. Dr. Dorothy facilitates clearing blocks, fears and limiting beliefs. You can live the life you desire. She facilitates Past Life Regression and Future Life Progression. She was a World Regression Congress faculty member in the Netherlands, India, Brazil and Turkey. http://www.drdorothy.net http://facebook.com/DrDorothyNed http://teamasea.com/drdorothy

EGO AND RELATIONSHIP

Posted by Rushikesh Maslekar on 25 October, 2012

Then relationship happens. Before that it is just an empty name. Relationship cannot happen before the egos are gone. You only believe that it is a relationship. It is a conflict, it is enmity, it is jealousy, it is aggression, it is domination, it is possession, and many things ? but not relationship. How can you relate with two egos there? When there are two egos, then there are four persons.

In every bed you will find four persons sleeping together. It is very rare to find a double bed, because then four persons are there overcrowding it. The wife is there and the ego, and the husband is there and the ego ? husband is hidden behind his ego, wife is hidden behind her ego, and those two egos go on making love. The real contact never happens.

The word ?relationship? is beautiful. The original meaning of the root from which the word ?to relate? comes is exactly the same as ?to respond?. Relationship comes from that word ?respond?. If you have any image of your wife or husband, you cannot respond, and hence relate, to the truth of the person. And we all go on carrying images.

First, we have our image that is our ego ? ?who I am?. And then we have the image of the other ? who she is, or he is. The husband relates not to the woman that is there, he relates to the woman he thinks is there. So now, four are not there, six there are, and it goes on crowding.

Now you are there ? that is one thing, your ego is there ? that is another thing. And now you don?t relate to the woman who is there, you relate to the idea of your woman ? ?My wife is such and such, or should be such and such? and he is also having these things ? so six persons.

It is really a miracle how people go on managing. It is very complicated. Relationship is not possible, there are too many people in between. You go on reacting to the image not to the person, and hence there is no relationship. When there is no image, then there is relationship.

See it! And see it immediately, without the interference of thought. Don?t have any image of the person you love. If you love me, don?t have any image of me. There is no need. Just look into me as I am. The image will not allow you to see who I am. Don?t have any image of the person you love; the person is enough. The truth of the person is enough whatsoever it is.

And don?t have any image of yourself, just be true, authentic, as you are. And there will be relationship. Then there will be a response. Then two realities will respond to each other. And when realities respond there is great harmony, melody, joy. There is great beauty.

Don?t have any image of me, don?t have any image of your husband, don?t have any image of your son, don?t have any image of Jesus, and don?t have any image of God. If you can drop all your images, you will enter into a totally different dimension ? the separate reality, the other shore. Approach truth imageless, thoughtless, nude, empty, uncovered. And the response will come out of your being of its own accord.

You ask me: WHAT HAPPENS IN AND WITH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO PARTNERS IF THEIR EGOS DROP?Then love happens, then ecstasy happens. Then that very relationship becomes sacred, it becomes a shrine. And through that door you can reach to God. You have to grow more and more towards the state where the ?I? is not present at all. This is the goal of all love, and this is the misery of all lovers. Because they want this to happen and it doesn?t happen, then there is great misery, then they feel cheated, then they feel frustrated. Then they start thinking of changing the partner.

Every day some couple comes to me and says ?We would like to change the partners. Enough is enough. We are tired.? But what will you do? You will do the same with the other person. It is not going to make much difference. Maybe for a few days, the fantasy, the romance, the honeymoon, and again? And they know it ? because they have done it before too. And they nod their heads in agreement. And they say ?Yes, that?s true. I have been doing this to many women. But what to do? I am stuck again.?

Rather than changing the partner, rather than dropping your woman or man, drop your ego. Dropping that ego, a different quality starts taking shape in your life, a different light, a different vision. And things settle in that vision. With that light coming in, all old miseries and conflicts and anguishes disappear.

The same energy that was becoming conflict starts becoming your joy. That?s what Jesus means when he says: Don?t go on squandering your energies in fighting, anger, objecting. Veetmoha?s mother has come here, a beautiful old woman. She has heard me ? I think only once, yesterday. And she was puzzled about one thing. She told Veetmoha ?What is the matter? I like what Osho says, but nobody objects! Whatsoever he goes on saying, people listen. Nobody is objecting, what is the matter??

Her question is very natural. She must have seen lectures where somebody speaks, somebody objects ? raises a question ? and there is a quarrel, and discussion and argument. She must have been hoping for something like that. Here she sees people just sitting silently, utterly in silence, listening. This is the whole approach here. Objecting has to be dropped.

Listening has to be evolved. Argument has to be dropped. A no-arguing communion has to be developed. That is the difference between an ordinary meeting and a meeting of the Master and the disciples. The disciples are not there with their egos to object or to argue. They are there to dissolve themselves, they are there to fall in tune with the Master. It is not relevant what he is saying, it is not a question of agreeing or not agreeing. That is irrelevant.

What I go on saying to you is just an excuse to allow you to be here with me. It will be difficult for you to be with me if I go on sitting in silence. Your mind has to be kept engaged. Your mind remains engaged, your heart opens. And the real thing is going to happen there in the heart, not in the mind. If the mind starts objecting, the heart closes. Then you become too much hung-up in the head.

Yes, for the head I go on giving you toys. These are all toys. Your head goes on playing with the toys, and the real work is happening somewhere else. It is happening in the heart. If you are arguing, it will be difficult. Then your heart cannot open. And remember, let me repeat again ? it is not a question of agreeing with me or not agreeing, that is irrelevant.

There is no need to agree and no need to disagree. You can just be here without agreeing, without disagreeing, and something will start growing in you. And that is the REAL THING. WHAT I SAY is just an excuse. WHAT I AM is the real thing.

Feeling a strong desire for a love interest. While you may feel indecisive about romance; the mystical and nurturing parts are attractive. Social environments may be different however, expect the unexpected, and be open to new people. Opposing Energies: delays, fickle, indecisive, lonelyMeeting stress head-on with having to juggle working two jobs, and uncertain about which to give the most energy. The best influence you can bring to stress is to be busy doing something artistic or creative, and apply your personal expression to your creations. Wide Awake Words? for today: joy, romance, completionGood News for Relationships?: Closure now is likely, and brings the changes you want for your future. In making changes for the better, discover the rewards in meeting someone special. New romance is just around the corner; a brighter and busy social life is arriving. Peace. Catherine ?Uniting Spiritual Growth with Conscious Living??www.TheNaturalSage.com ? 2012 The Sage Lady All Rights Reserved.

Giving back to society

Posted by judy j. weinberger on 25 October, 2012

A Non Public School Marathon is currently underway in Minnesota. This particlular marathon does not involve running, but rather includes 26 acts of community service (mimmicking 26 miles in a marathon.) St. Croix Catholic School in Stillwater was photographed for the Pioneer Press 10-24-12 clearing gravestones at St. Michael?s Cemetary as part of this marathon.

The manner in which we give back to the world or to our community often makes a statement about who we are and most typically makes us feel better in the process of giving. When we teach our young to give back, we do more in our power to help make the world a little more caring.

There are countless ways in which we can give, sometimes by doing relatively small acts. I have found change.org (http://www.change.org/ ) one of the relatively simple ways of making a small difference in the world. Change.org gives voice to those that have been treated poorly, where an injustice has occurred, or where one wants or desperately needs change and there is no one to turn to. These petitions often garner so many signatures, that the hoped for change transpires, due to the massive support.

From the change.org victories website, one can view that South Aftrican Women have successfully forced their government to end ?Corrective? rape of lesbians; Apple company has vowed to protect workers in Chinese factories, a 21 year old man who was wrongfully charged and beaten by police had all charges against him dropped, and Bank of America canceled plans for a $5 debit card fee. The changes people petition for at change.org are clearly very diverse, some changing social consciousness, others making life a little better for us all. See: http://www.change.org/victories

Acts of loving kindness (Gemilut Chassadim) are central to the Torah and Judaic way of life. Giving back to the world in any manner fulfills us and makes the world better. The ?Proceedings of the National Academy of Science? found there is a biochemical explanation, when one gives or donates, the part of the brain that is activated is the same area that produces feel-good chemicals like oxytocin, that promote social bonding. In other words the Nonpublic schools in Minnesota that are teaching the children to give back to society, additionally in the process, showing the kids they will reap the ?feel good? benefits.

In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.? ? Flora Edwards

It seems rather simple sometimes to make a difference to others, whether it is a hug, helping another in need, or simply signing a petition on change.org. The difference we make in the life of another or others, not only can transform their lives, but makes a positive impact on our own.

Thank-you for reading and giving.

Seven Year Old Angel

Posted by sinlou ingraffia on 25 October, 2012

Remembering Michael. He was just seven years old when he died. He would tell his mother all the time. mommy the pain here is just too much ,I don't want to be here anymore. I love you mommy just it's too painful this world.. Three weeks later Divine Granted Michael to return home. Drunk Driver crashed into car going 80 miles an hour. Michael did not feel a thing. did not even see it coming. Years later Michael was seen at friend's house he use to play with Michael. The boy was going to kill himself had a gun to his mouth. Michael appeared to him. Told him come with me I will show you something. the boy came out of his room and followed Michael on to the sidewalk and said put out your arms with me. and wave your arms like we use to do like a butterfly . The boy did what Michael said and begin to see the sidewalk and himselfs moving gently like a butterfly. that day Michael brought hope for his dear friend. See Angels are real...and some live among you. and are very senseitve to this world and cannot handle the pain... Michael watches over many now.. Blessings.

It Takes Time to Change

Posted by Walks With Four on 25 October, 2012

This article was written by Rick McBride, a mixedblood Tsalagi (Cherokee) who believes Native American lifeways are key to understanding better ways of treating the Earth, each other, and ourselves. He also present woprkshops, including Forgiveness; Finding the Gift.

I hear a lot about self improvement these days, the kind of change that heals emotional wounds or makes one's life a little better, a little more enjoyable or productive. It's easy to talk about these things, much harder to do them. I think the only one who can help you is you, just the same as the only one who can help me is me. I'm writing about the actual work of change, what is sometimes called transformation. We might get ideas from others and that can be good. Especially if we know that person has lived the change they're preaching. We might even agree to work with some mentor as we undertake to reconstruct our thinking, restructure our emotions. But if anything is to come of it, the heavy lifting must be done by the one seeking change. Sorry, but there ain't no magic pills, despite what some people are selling.

Just as there are no magic pills, there are no shortcuts, no elaborate incantations or secret ceremonies that will cause a sudden shift in behavior. Sudden insights, or epiphany do not cause immediate shifts in behavior, either. They only open a door in the mind that if-and that's a big "if"-passed through might create in us, in time, the motivation to think and act better. I can spend a lifetime cultivating the image of a tough guy, of one to be feared. Then one night a Spirit shows up, a bona-fide Being of Light, something I could never conjure on my own, something beyond my imagination, yet there it is, standing next to my bed in pitch dark, an exquisite light unlike anything seen in nature or elsewhere. Yet, it does not light up the room the way a lamp would. And it stands, quietly. Motionless. And the message is all about love and compassion. I get up the next morning and my head's a mess from last night's visit, I'm late for work and I get animated crazy when someone cuts me off in traffic. Just like yesterday.

It takes time to change.

Why is that? We didn't get where we are over night; it happened over time, it happened while we weren't looking, it happened before we knew any better. And we don't fully understand how it has impacted us. Yet.

We've all gotten new information, we've all had revelations, whether a Light Being in the middle of the night or a traffic cop in the middle of crush hour, yet we keep acting the same old way. Even when it no longer serves us. It takes time to incubate behaviors. When we finally notice them they're already well-entrenched in our psychology and physiology. Drug or alcohol addiction are perfect examples of this. By the time we start to wonder if maybe we have a problem, it's already too late. Behaviors are like that. Is it reasonable, then, to think that once we decide to make profound change it should happen immediately? Especially when powerful physiological adaptations have been so long in place, such as rewired synapses in the brain, altered blood and endocrine chemistries, life-styles including choice of friends, diet, and place, all of which shape or reflect self-image.

There is also the credibility question. We've become so used to life treating us the way we expect it to, a sudden and dramatic change in that, even when a good one, is hard to accept. The more sudden and dramatic, the more difficult it can be. However, if we're transformed at a more measured pace, one not as disruptive, we have time to integrate it. We can accept transformation incrementally because gradual doesn't trigger our resistance to it.

I've observed that dysfunctional people can transform faster when they're dealing with big, ugly issues than functional people can when dealing with subtle issues, like cultural or philosophical ideas. If I'm a rage-aholic, that's easy to spot. But, if I decide to live my life according to my Native American ancestry, moving away from mainstream-think can be a real challenge. When I add impatience to that, for whatever reason, I can find myself in a confused psychological wilderness with no compass. I'm trying to change my thinking with the same thinking I've always thought. Not happening.

We need to seriously consider contrasting, even opposing points of view. We need to consider what some call radical ideas, whether they're about personal development, the environment, economy, or allowing humankind to self-destruct. Maybe our time on the planet is coming to an end, what's the best way to see it through?

I suppose the point of all this is to remind you to be easy on yourself when you take off down that long, winding Transformation Road. Change is a part of life, not alien to it, not a "time out" kind of thing. Call on turtle medicine for patience, a quality you'll need too be persistent. You can learn to enjoy making changes in your life as you master the Art of Transformation and start to see the benefits of your efforts. Learn from others. Many others and not all in agreement with each other, either.

Ghandi said be the change you would have in the world. Good advice, if done wisely.

Tao Te Ching

Posted by Julian Colgan on 24 October, 2012

-26-

Knowing what is masculine within you, equally pay attention to what is feminine within you.

By humbling yourself before the world, the eternal power of the Tao is yours and is meant to be used for your return to the innocence of beauty.

Knowing what is white within you, equally pay attention to what is black within you.

By being an exemplary practitioner for the world to admire, the eternal power of the Tao transforms you into what is infinite.

Knowing what is glorious within you, equally pay attention to what is counter productive to glory within you.

By being as open as the world, the eternal power of the Tao drives you to what is simple.

Making instruments that will never be used, the greatest of sages do not work while working.

-27-

Wanting to control the world and wanting to manipulate it according to your means, the world will not budge one inch for you.

The world is a sacred vessel that cannot be altered so easily.

Those who try to do so are lost and lose what they cling to.

Everything goes and follows something else. Everything breathes in strength and blows out weaknesses. Everything begins in something and ends in something.

Sages are quick to get rid of the extremes of an arrogant attitude towards the Tao.

Equipoised in nothingness, the Tao speaks like never before.

Copyright - The Blue Cross And Shining Sunset Academy

I choose to be HAPPY

Posted by tarajunea on 24 October, 2012

When saying or reading affirmations, you have to feel the feelings that they portray. It's best that you are relaxed. You have to feel and know at the core of your being, that these statements are true. If they feel out of reach or you are having a hard time convincing yourself of their truth, adjust the affirmation to include words that feel true to you at that moment.

I choose to be happy Happ iness expands within me Happiness exists where I choose to look for it Joy floods my thoughts and my life I release all negativity and hold joy in my heart I am overcome with gratitude for the bliss that fills my life I accept the good that is flowing into my life Happiness is everywhere I choose to see it I smile and my life lightens Right now, as I think these thoughts, circumstances are shifting to flood every aspect of my life with happiness

"You are your own truth. You are your own temple. You are your own perfect LOVE. We are your humble torch bearer, YOU are the LIGHT."

By Pearl Shanti Lodur-Lionheart

As Masters we can make our bodies perfect, we can take them with us wherever we like. We can, if we wish, live with our physical bodies forever.

There are many Masters who have lived among you in their villages for thousands of years in the same physical body.

But most Masters choose, after serving and enlightening humanity, to bring their bodies with them to Heaven, what you call the 7th Heaven.

You regard this Kingdom as the ? MYSTERY OF MYSTERIES??

Yet there is no mystery.

It is only on a higher level of consciousness where we can RECEIVE the highest learning.

This is where meny Masters dwells today ? with their body ?together with many, many other Masters who have advanced on their ascension path.

This place ? THE 7TH HEAVEN ? is a place in our consciousness, where we are completely AWARE of the fact ? that by rejecting death, we put on the dress of immortality.

WE know that we can choose PHYSICAL IMMORTALITY.

We have all received our body temples to make them last forever.

Scientists, like Dr Alexis Carrel , who won the Nobel Prize in chemistry, has stated that there is no reason that a cell, when given the proper nutrition, should not last forever.

It is proven that a cell can live in eternity, and that the original blueprint for the cell is coded with living forever. Human beings are therefore immortal, if we here and now select this power that is ours.

In this high level of consciousness, with the highest teachings, we can choose to live in immortality, many of us know that eternal life is a fact.

On this Level we may live in LOVE, TRUTH, LIGHT AND ETERNAL BLISS ? A PLACE OF JOY, PEACE AND HARMONY.

Here we experience how GOD sees humans.

Here we meet GOD ?face to face.

We have a truthful communion, conversation, friendship and unity with GOD.

And we know that every soul can enter this Kingdom ? receive it freely and live in it blissfully.

In fact we know, in a very short while, in only a few years, everyone will have the choice to come here.

Many people have already accepted this and made their choice ? they have this as a goal.

This is what we call THE ASCENSION.

Everyone receives the same choice, but not everyone has chosen to accept it.

The fact is that we have everything we need within ourselves. We just have to learn how to use our tools. Therefore, I have opened this page, where Ariana Sha and I want to share supportive and informative information that we make in our daily lives. We spread our Wings of LOVE gently and tenderly around you and we will hold your hand while you step the ladder step by step into yourself.

We will share with you our greatest LOVE and joy that we know from our own experience that really works ...

You are your own truth. You are your own temple. You are your own perfect LIGHT.

We are your humble torch bearer, you are the light.

Share and Invite ...

Let all of us make ONE great Enlightened family, where there is room for everyone

Quiet time each day is so important, but many are so out of practice that it?s almost unnerving to be in stillness.

It?s funny to imagine our lives as something we spend a lot of time avoiding, because it seems like that would be impossible to do. Our lives consist of everything we engage in, from showering to sleeping, but also a lot of busy work that distracts us and keeps us from looking at our lives. Experiencing our life from the inside means taking time each day to simply be alone and quiet in the presence of our soul. Many of us are so out of practice that it?s almost unnerving to have a moment to ourselves. As a result, we may have stopped trying to carve out that time to take a seat at the center of our lives.

One of the reasons it can be uncomfortable to sit with ourselves is because when we do, we tend to open ourselves to an inner voice, which might question the way we?re living or some of the choices we?re making. Sometimes the voice reminds us of our secret, inner yearnings, dreams we thought we had forgotten. When we already feel overwhelmed by our busy schedules, the idea of hearing this voice can be exhausting. However, its reflections are the chords that connect us to our authentic selves, and they are the very things that make our lives worth living. When we continually avoid connecting with our life, we risk losing out on the very purpose of our existence.

To begin the process of being more present and less absent in your life, you might want to set aside just a few minutes each day to simply sit with yourself. This doesn't mean watching a movie or reading a book, but taking time each day for self-examination to avoid the avoidance, to be with yourself in an open way. After a while, you may start to enjoy this part of the day so much that you make less busy work for yourself, so that you can spend more time at the center of your own life, rather than hovering like a planet around the sun.

I AM DIVINE PERFECT LOVE AT ITS BEST.

Posted by Jennifer Bodishattva on 24 October, 2012

So if my life right now is a product of my past thoughts, its NO wonder why things are struggles. I suppose the thing to keep in mind is this: ?X? amount of time ago, when I used to live in the matrix, I was negative minded. I was angry and depressed for a very long time. This generated LOTS of negative energy that I in turn released unto the Universe. Universal Law is, it has to come back. The key is to keep thinking positive, keep putting positive back out to the universe, so as to stop the cycle, and start attracting and retaining the positive and fruitful energy. Here are some things I have realized, and try to do. Not perfectly, of course, but I do it to the best of my ability, in the now. I know as I practice more, and learn more, this will grow as well. My lessons I learn when I fall short are good reminders to STAY FOCUSED ON THE POSITIVE.

Change the following wording used:Examples:?I don?t want to lose.?=?I am going to win.??No one loves me.?=?I am now open to receive love.??My life sucks?=?I am grateful for each day that teaches me the way to happiness?I am useless.?=?I am on my path, practicing my talents along the way, and implementing them in my life? I SHOULD have ________?=?I forgive self, and I am________ today.??I am so depressed I have no will to live anymore.?=?I am alive. I am worthy of life. I am right where I need to be. I am perfect. I have purpose.?

These are just some examples of the way I counter act my negative and degrading self-talk. Despite the challenges that arise in this ?new? way of being, I am overcoming. I have implemented them, and I deserve all the love and positivity this attracts. Some of them are best done with meditation. I also do a lot of energy work to help break past ties that weigh me down. ?I?????I AM??????.?I AM God/Goddess/Divinity/Love/Energy?.

I AM DIVINE PERFECT LOVE AT ITS BEST.

~~orignal work plz do not repost w/out permission and credit to myself, the author~~

The Benefits of Grace

Posted by Julie Miller on 24 October, 2012

Benefits of Gracehttp://www.artofgrace.org

Although traditionally thought of as a religious concept with benefits only for believers in God, the experience of grace is available to and benefits all people, whether you are religious, spiritual, agnostic or atheist. Grace is a state of awakening to the gifts of existence, life and love. Because of this awakening, when you are in a state of grace, your mind is liberated from mental slavery and you enjoy happiness, a relaxed mind, and boundless energy. Grace is the antidote to spiritual dis-ease, to anxiety, to paranoia, and to depression. In a state of grace, you know your purpose and you effortlessly succeed in creating a life that benefits not only you, but an ever growing circle of those around you. Because grace helps you and others thrive and survive, in grace lies the salvation of the world.

Grace Awakens

Awareness is the beginning of liberation, abundance, and kindness because, when you know better, you do better. In a state of Grace, you are in an ongoing state of ever greater awakening to the many gifts of existence. When you are in a state of grace, you see events from many points of view.

Emotional Alchemy: Grace Transforms Pain into Joy

Grace makes beauty out of ugly things. ~ Bono

The fires of suffering become the light of consciousness. ~ Eckhart Tolle.

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. ~ anonymous

Life puts us into endless awkward positions. Fully embraced, these become emblematic postures of dignity and grace. ~ Sky

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain. ~ Kahlil Gibran

One of the great paradoxes of life is that the pursuit of happiness often leads to suffering. So often, when we pursue happiness, we are running from pain. Often, the pain catches up. It is only by being with the pain, by acknowledging it, that the pain is transformed into joy. Pain is one of our greatest teachers, and we run from the sensation of pain, but not the source of the pain. So, paradoxically, sometimes the most direct path to happiness is to acknowledge our pain and to know that it is universal. Happiness is conditional. Grace accepts it all.

Grace Guides Purpose

"Let the beauty we love be what we do." ~ Rumi

Your purpose in life is created by your priorities. If you are unaware of your priorities, you will be unaware of your purpose and your life will feel meaningless. When you awaken to grace, you automatically become aware of what you love, and your love becomes your priority and hence your purpose. Living your highest purpose will infuse each action with meaning and your life will flow effortlessly.

One of the main benefits of grace is the guidance that leads you to live in joy, with abundance and on purpose. When your body, mind and spirit are fully integrated with others and with Creative Source, you will know what to do from moment to moment. When you are in a state of grace, you are guided to live your best life and to serve others with ease and joy.

Grace Stirs Compassion

"Once you experience the divine love of grace, you will be giving others the gift of communion in unconditional love. ~Skye

Those who experience grace are automatically channels of kindness and compassion. People who are happy radiate happiness and their enthusiasm, optimism and joy spread to others.

Awareness is the key to liberation from mental slavery. One of the greatest blessings of grace is freedom from slavery to emotions. Sometimes, it feels as if we are slaves to anxiety, cravings, desire, sadness, frustration, anger, helplessness and depression. When we feel these emotions, we often feel compelled to act on them. Without the highest perspective of grace, humans are motivated by emotions, which in turn are created by our genetic and cultural programming. At times, these emotions serve us well, by helping us to run from and survive the attack of a tiger, to avoid social disgrace that might leave us abandoned by our group, and to create desire so that we may eat, drink and reproduce. Emotions are excellent servants, informing us about situations in our lives. But when a person reacts to emotional demands without conscious awareness as to source of these emotions and the consequence of these actions, then he or she becomes an emotional slave.

Grace transforms emotions from tyrants that enslave you to servants that inform you. Through awareness and understanding, grace liberates you from the emotions that enslave you. With the wisdom and compassion of grace, you are able to listen to your emotions rather than unconsciously acting upon them.

The Buddha said taht desire is the root of all suffering. What he meant was slavery to your desires is the root of all suffering. One particular powerfully enslaving emotion is desire. Being in grace does not mean that you no longer have desires. Instead, when living in a state of grace, you are free to listen to your desire or not, choosing whatever brings more love and clarity into the world. Rather than being a slave to your desires, with grace, you are a master of your desires.

Grace Give You a Larger Perspective

Grace makes beauty out of ugly things. ~ Bono

When you are living in a state of grace, you can see that Everything is Perfect, that the Universe is developing on schedule.

Unconditional Love

Grace is the experience the of unconditional love. Because of your awareness that the the powers that create the universe supports you, you realize that you are loved unconditionally. From this awareness, you accept yourself and you can see others as worthy of unconditional love and so, you can in turn love them unconditionally.

Grace Relaxes the Body and Mind

Awareness that the universe loves you, that you are the beloved creation of an ever-creative Creator, brings a state of relaxation. Scans of the brain shows that this relaxation allows blood to flow to all parts of the brain, giving mental clarity and provoding creative thought. . This clarity reduces confusion and helps one focus on priorities, rather than things that are of secondary importance. With clarity, one's mind begins to get quiet, and with a relaxed mind, the body relaxes. Grace promotes a feeling of harmony and gentleness which in turn relaxes the mind and body.

Grace Feels Good

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive". ~ Howard Thurman

Everyone wants to be happy. Of the many paths to happiness, grace is the path that is available no matter what your circumstance. Grace feels good, even when circumstances are not ideal. Grace is the kind of happiness that accepts everything, while accepting that situations can be even better.

Grace Increases Energy

With a relaxed mind and body, a person allows the energy of the universe (chi, prana, life force) to flow to through him. If one is aligned with the divine, with a larger purpose, with clarity, one becomes a larger channel of divine energy.

Grace Gives Courage

Sometimes you may feel afraid, seeing only heartache and disaster from all sides. Yet with grace, you know that even though you can't see a way to prevail, you know that love will prevail. Even though you may feel afraid, there is so much love in your heart that you know you will not give up. Grace is the warmth in your heart that gives you courage.

Grace Allows the Flow of Effortless Success

Because grace is living in harmony with the powers that create each moment and the universe, aligning with these powers allows for effortless success. When you harmonize with the nature of nature, you are in flow. This is like the ease with which a person can float down a river to get to their destination in contrast to the struggle of rowing upstream. Effortless success means paying attention to what you love and loving what you do. In this way, you have the energy to flow effortlessly to achieve your dreams and your purpose. Paradoxically, an outside observer might say that a person works really hard to accomplish their goals, putting in 80 hours a week. But this is like saying that a child is struggling when she plays for hours with friends.

Grace is Awakening to Abundance

Grace is that state of awareness that sees that there is more than enough. Each day, the sun gives us far more energy than we can ever use. Likewise, each day, life gives us an abundance of blessings too numerous to count: new blood cells to carry oxygen, new synapses to appreciate the world.

Grace is the Antidote to Spiritual Dis-Ease

Among the problems facing humanity, including environmental disaster, terrorism, poverty and infectious disease, one of the most widespread is spiritual dis-ease. This dis-ease is often characterized as some form of depression, anxiety, hopelessness, fear, loneliness or anger. Spiritual dis-ease lies at the heart of many other problems, including clinical depression, one of the most common illnesses in the United States and the developed world. The result of unmanaged depression is suicide, the number one killer of young men in the U.S. Over 25% of all prescriptions written are to treat this debilitating disease. Many other drugs, including alcohol and illicit drugs, are consumed to ward off the blues.

Spiritual dis-ease may also take the form of "consumptivitis," the uncontrolled urge to consume stuff to fill an emotional need. While consuming stuff may lead to momentary relief, excessive consumption leads to overeating, clutter, disorganization, stress, waste and exhaustion. This waste can be either of personal wealth or the wasting of natural resources and our environment.

The antidote to spiritual dis-ease is grace. Grace goes by many names and may be attained in many ways. The aim of this site is to help you understand grace so that you might tap into its power.

Grace Allows Flexibility

"Life puts us into endless awkward positions. Fully embraced, these become emblematic postures of Dignity and Grace." ~ Sky

Hope, Faith and Perseverance

Grace gives one hope which in turn gives one the ability to persevere in even the most challenging of conditions. "This ability to persevere despite obstacles and setbacks is the quality people most admire in others, and justly so; it is probably the most important trait not only for succeeding in life, but for enjoying it as well." ~ Mihaly Csikzentmihaly

Faith is certainty of grace despite uncertainty of circumstance. We cannot know what will happen in the future, but by cultivating grace, we can be certain that loving kindness will prevail.

Grace and Oneness

Grace is awareness of Oneness, the realization that your happiness is interdependent with the happiness of others. From this sense of Oneness, a curiosity opens a person's awareness to know more and more about widening circles of awareness.

Grace Nurtures Creativity

Awareness of the loving power that creates the universe allows you to become a co-creator with this power. It has been said that anything you can do when you are unhappy, you can do better happy. By allowing grace into your life, your creativity will flow.

In Grace Lies the Salvation of the World

Grace is the spiritual awakening that is essential for the survival of each person's soul.

Today, grace may even be essential for the survival of humanity. Because people around the world are becoming more interdependent on one another, grace may be essential for for the survival of sentient life on planet Earth. So long as people's souls are suffering, fear, depression and anger will inevitably lead to stress, over consumption, greed, hatred, terrorism and war. In contrast, when people experience the awareness, bliss and compassion of grace, they are able to think more clearly, to see problems as opportunities, to live more abundantly with fewer resources and to have the enthusiasm and energy to bring more love and joy into the world. When people experience the idea that they are co-creators with the Divine Process, that theirs are the hands and feet of the Creative Power, then they may live in ways to promote the continued expansion of consciousness, cooperation and compassion.